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OPP ramping up for last summer long weekend of the year

ORILLIA, ON, Aug. 26, 2013 /CNW/ - With the last of the summer long
weekends only days away, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is giving
advance notice that they will be honing in on distracted drivers as
part of the heightened enforcement they have planned over the Labour
Day weekend.

With kids heading back to school next week, distracted driving is of
particular concern to the OPP as distraction-related collision
fatalities in OPP jurisdiction continue to surpass impaired
driving-related deaths this year. According to the OPP, everyone
travelling on roads and highways should be equally concerned about this
alarming trend.

"Most people would not get into a vehicle with an impaired driver and
they are at as much risk in the presence of a distracted driver as an
impaired driver," says Chief Superintendent Don Bell, Commander of the
OPP Highway Safety Division. "If drivers do not have the good sense to
stop this dangerous behaviour on their own, I encourage passengers to
take responsibility for their own safety by speaking up. If you are a
passenger in a vehicle and the driver is not completely focused on
driving, is talking on a cell phone or even worse - texting, remind
them that they are endangering your life and that you want them to
stop," added Bell.

"So far this year, 47 of the 177 people killed in motor vehicle collisions in OPP jurisdiction involved
distracted driving, compared to 32 impaired driving-related collision deaths," said Deputy Commissioner
Larry Beechey, Provincial Commander of Traffic Safety and Operational
Support. "Our statistics make it clear beyond a doubt that road users
need to pay greater attention to this problem and get on board with our
efforts to stop it rather than wait for a devastating tragedy to
occur," added Beechey.

Speeding and other aggressive driving behaviour, impaired driving and
seat belt compliance will also be on the OPP's radar over the long
weekend. Boaters and off-road vehicle (ORV) users should also be
prepared to see a strong OPP presence on waterways and trails, with ORV
fatalities up 80 per cent and marine fatalities up more than 15 per cent this year.